Cost of living in Whitefish research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Whitefish is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Montana, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Whitefish is 133, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Whitefish is 1.3x higher than the national average.
Whitefish ranks as the #25 cheapest in Montana out of 25.
Whitefish ranks as the #5,125 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Whitefish is $857,781.
The median income in Whitefish is $71,110.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Whitefish has an overall cost of living index of 133, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Montana, Whitefish has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Montana's index of 101.
The standard of living in Whitefish ranks as #25 most affordable out of the 25 places we measured in Montana. By definition, that implies Whitefish ranks as the #0 most expensive place in the Treasure State.
For more reading on life in Whitefish, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Whitefish. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Whitefish is 100.
The Groceries index in Whitefish is 112.
The Health index in Whitefish is 110.
The Housing index in Whitefish is 192.
The Transportation index in Whitefish is 120.
The Utilities index in Whitefish is 95.
| Living Expense | Whitefish | Montana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 133 | 101 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 104 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 112 | 102 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 192 | 100 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 120 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 95 | 95 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Montana, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Whitefish is $857,781.
The Median Rent in Whitefish is $1,313.
The Median Income in Whitefish is $71,110.
The Home Value To Income in Whitefish is 12.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Whitefish is 0.22x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Whitefish. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Kalispell, MT has a cost of living index of 109, 0.8x Whitefish.
Evergreen, MT has a cost of living index of 102, 0.8x Whitefish.
Columbia Falls, MT has a cost of living index of 97, 0.7x Whitefish.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Whitefish | 
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalispell, MT | 26,830 | 109 | 0.8x | 
| Evergreen, MT | 8,908 | 102 | 0.8x | 
| Columbia Falls, MT | 5,531 | 97 | 0.7x |